On today’s episode of CauseTalk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to John Kordsmeier, President of the Northwestern Mutual Foundation, about the first year results of fundraising for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and Starlight Children’s Foundation.

John talks about how Northwestern Mutual chose childhood cancer as its cause, what made ALSF and Starlight good partners and how it empowered employees across the company to host fundraisers. The results have been impressive: $1.5 million raised in the first year.

The foundation learned several important lessons, like the challenge of educating employees on pediatric cancer research, and offers some best practices from which every business and nonprofit can benefit.